Gamble Your Heart Away
by GunSniper64
Summary: Tony Stark's night of winning in the casino gets just a bit more interesting when the infamous Bruce Wayne challenges him to a game of dice. But what is Bruce's purpose for showing up at the casino in the first place? Can Tony prove he is the more superb gambler? Short one-shot Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark


**A/N: For all of you who are reading my Frostiron fic "Jail Talks", I will return to writing it after my final exams are over, and I expect to end the fic this summer. I gave up writing fanfiction for Lent, so expect me to be pouring quick little one-shots like this one out until school is over and I can actually focus on writing. That being said, this is my first Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark fic so please be gentle when reviewing! It's not my best work but it's a start to get me back into the habit of writing, and I hope you all enjoy it!**

"Bartender, another round for the winner's circle!"

As the onlookers around him cheered and raised their glasses at the prospect of another round of free drinks, Tony Stark laughed.

Tonight was his night.

Holding up the sacred dice for an attractive twenty-looking something with far too much makeup on to actually be twenty years old and a scarf made from the fur of some endangered mammal, Tony Stark gave her his signature smirk.

Every night was his night.

Rolling the dice and giving some witty remark in response to the victory, he watched as the crowd around him cheered again and began chanting his name. Holding up his arms to face any challengers, Tony looked around the crowd but nobody was making any move to meet his request.

That was until suddenly a smooth voice announced, "Count me in, banker."

Tony turned around to face the newcomer sitting across the table with a quirked eyebrow.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems the infamous Bruce Wayne dares to challenge me in a game of dice. Who here believes I can win?" The crowd around Tony roared with enthusiasm as he smirked, "Looks like the crowd has chosen their champion. Do you dare to step out now with your dignity still in tact?"

Bruce didn't reply but he returned the smug expression as he was handed a pair of dice. By now the crowd around the casino table had expanded significantly and it was only boosting Tony's confidence. He loved an audience, and what better way to show the rich orphan-boy across from him who owns the town than through a winning gamble?

Bruce shook the dice in his hand before carelessly rolling the dice onto the table.

Tony tried not to let his surprise show as he called out, "Beginner's luck! Mr. Wayne is using what we pro-gamblers call a 'toying effect'. He's expecting his victory this round to cause me to become self-conscious about my imminent winning! Such newbie methods won't work on me though for I have mathematically conquered the system of gambling!"

"Math has no place in the casino except by cheaters who don't have any skill of their own when it comes to winning," Bruce whispered quietly, but it was heard by everyone in the crowd. "A man who hides behind a suit should know that there are limits to how far he can go on his own before he has to call on his own creations to save him."

"Ah but I highly doubt I'm the only one who has to think about what it means to hide behind a _suit_, Mr. Wayne."

The air was tense as the two glared daggers at each other, each hiding their own thoughts behind wicked smiles.

"Of course ladies and gentlemen, I am merely implying that Mr. Wayne here doesn't deserve to wear the suit he has on right now because none of his work in the real world makes any difference in the end."

"Oh? And what makes anything you do any different? If I'm not mistaken, it was your past _line of work_ that took the lives of several thousand people. While _you_ spent your life riding on your daddy's coattails, _I_ have been funding charities, hosting events to increase public awareness, helping thousands of people whose lives were almost destroyed by _your_ work -"

"Oh yes we all know about your _heroism_, don't we?" Tony muttered darkly as he rolled the dice.

Bruce wasted no time in rolling after him, but this time the number was lower than Tony's.

"Aha! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the heroic Bruce Wayne who has so diligently tried to win tonight's game. Victory, my friends, apparently only comes to those who are smart enough and rich enough to obtain it."

Bruce held his gaze for a minute before walking away. As he did so, the crowd whispered in hush tones, some congratulating Tony, others talking amongst themselves. Tony didn't dare watch the billionaire go as he played a few more rounds. When he had had enough, he politely excused himself from the table and traveled over to the balcony. It was a high-raised platform on which only a few people could stand on at a time, and it overlooked the entire casino with all of its flashing lights and hopeful souls.

"That was a smooth move you pulled back there, what with your loaded dice and all."

Tony smiled as he took an offered drink from the guest at his side. "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice."

"Please, I knew before I even woke up this morning."

Tony chuckled as he replied, "Pity that you had to wake up then."

The two were silent for a few moments as they simply took pleasure in watching the modest human beings below them lose all traces of self-control and become slaves to greed.

"Don't you think that you were pushing it with the whole _suit thing_ back there? Not that many people around here know who I really am, and I would very much like to keep from turning into you."

"And by that you mean someone who flaunts his world-saving tendencies and has nothing to hide?"

"If the American people knew who I truly was then a lot of people would be at risk -"

"Who? That butler of yours? If you think he couldn't handle himself in a dangerous situation, you fail him as a friend and as an employer. The reason you don't want to be sought out is because then nothing about you would be personal."

"When did you even first find out?" Bruce asked as he took a long sip of his drink.

"I don't put a time on such events. What I am wondering though is why you came here tonight if you don't like being in the public eye?" Tony asked as he turned to give the man his visual attention. You could have stayed back in that manor of yours, doing whatever nightly things bats like to do –"

"I'm investigating a case here for Gordon as Bruce Wayne."

"Riddler?"

Bruce shook his head as he replied, "Harley Quinn."

Tony gave a moan as he leaned against the balcony railing. "Oh to be on her bad side and under her bed sheets."

"You'll never grow up, will you?" Bruce sighed as he watched Tony down his drink in one gulp.

"I don't like being an adult," Tony whispered as he seductively leaned forward. "You know what your problem is, Bruce? You're too serious. You need to learn to live a little, take chances. You know why you couldn't win before?"

"Because you were cheating?"

"Because you don't gamble. In life or in the casino. You never take big risks."

"I would have to disagree with you on that one -"

"Then prove me wrong," Tony smirked. "Take a gamble with me tonight."

Bruce mirrored Tony's stance but he kept his gaze on the casino floor. "What are the stakes?"

"If you win, I'll play a public round of dice with you without using loaded dice. And if I win, then you have to come visit me at Stark Tower more often. And Christmas and New Years do _not_ count as _often_."

Bruce smirked at that, but his eyes remained cold as he replied, "Fine. You're on."

"Excellent!" Tony cried as he clapped his hands. "Now for the actual bet. I say first one to catch Harley Quinn wins?"

"I can deal with that," Bruce answered as he pushed himself off the balcony. "Shall we get started?"

"Already won," Tony announced as a waiter came by to replace his drink.

"...Excuse me?" Bruce asked, turning fully around to face Tony.

Tony waited for the waiter to leave before taking a gulp of his drink and then replying, "I caught her over three hours ago, before I even got here in fact. I had JARVIS blank out the signals to your cell which is why you haven't gotten any updates from Gordon lately."

"You son of a..."

Tony downed his fifth drink that night as he reached up on his tiptoes to whisper into Bruce's ear, "My place next Saturday night at nine o'clock on the dot. Come hungry. And bring the suit. You always look so much better when I'm taking it off of you."

Bruce fought back the flabbergasted blush as he watched Tony saunter away.

"Oh and before I go," Tony started as he looked over his shoulder at the hero, "You really should look into getting a new hobby. Gambling just isn't your forte."


End file.
